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Partisan speeches lay Chavez to rest

From left in black, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Bolivian President Evo Morales and Cuban President Raul Castro stand as pallbearers on one side of the coffin holding the body of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez at his funeral.

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CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez was lauded as a reincarnation of Latin American
liberator Simon Bolivar and disciple of Cuba’s Fidel Castro at a fiery, foot-stomping state funeral
yesterday as presidents, princes and left-wing glitterati looked on.

Chavez’s hand-picked successor emotionally eulogized the fallen leader at the military academy
where the funeral was held, his voice booming over Chavez’s flag-draped casket as he pledged
eternal loyalty in a ceremony that at times smacked of a political rally.

But all was not peace and harmony in a country deeply divided by Chavez’s 14 years in power.

Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles called Maduro a bald-faced liar and accused him
of using the funeral to campaign for president.

Capriles, who is likely to face Maduro in a special presidential election that is supposed to be
called within 30 days of Chavez’s death, said the opposition had asked to attend Chavez’s funeral,
but was told “better that you don’t come.”

The streets outside the military academy took on a carnival atmosphere, with military bands
launching into marches amid supporters wearing the red of Chavez’s socialist party. Street vendors
sold paper replicas of the presidential sash, which many people in the line slipped over their
shoulders.

Throngs watched the ceremony on huge monitors under the blazing sun, while a line to see Chavez’s
body stretching 11/2 miles was halted as the funeral got under way.

In the funeral hall, more than 30 political leaders including Cuba’s Raul Castro, Spanish Crown
Prince Felipe de Borbon and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood at attention before Chavez’s closed,
flag-draped coffin.

Maduro said no Venezuelan leader, even Bolivar, who died in exile, overcame such treachery and
opposition as Chavez, who died of cancer on Tuesday. He was 58.

“Here you are, unconquered, pure, transparent, unique, true and always alive,” Maduro shouted as
many in attendance cried. “Comandante, they couldn’t defeat you, and they will never, ever defeat
us.”

Despite the blustery language of his speech and the expulsion on Tuesday of two U.S. military
attaches on suspicion of spying, Maduro made a point of welcoming the U.S. delegation led by Rep.
Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and former Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass. Chavez often railed against
America even as he sold the country billions of dollars in oil each year.

But U.S. enemies such as Castro and Ahmadinejad also won loud applause.

“It is a great pain for us because we have lost a friend,” Ahmadinejad said upon his arrival at
the airport the night before. “I feel like I have lost myself, but I am sure that he still lives.
Chavez will never die. His spirit and soul live on in each of our hearts.”